Flexible game board with integrally pivoted end flap projectors

ABSTRACT

A ball or projectile-striking game having a centrally located flexible game board with flexible barrier elements upstanding along the opposite side edges, and projectile-striking flaps integrally connected at opposite ends of the game board which, in practice, are each manipulated by the players through a projectile-striking stroke to alternately strike the ball and thereby cause movement of the ball, during a typical playing interval, back and forth across the playing surface of the game board until one of the players either misses the ball or causes it to leave the playing surface. Resilient bands are connected between the flaps and the game board, and urge the flaps towards an overlying relationship with the game board.

States .ie atent [72] lnventors John Arthur Long;

Chmr E. Meyer, both of 35 Warren St., Brentwood, I'd-ll. 11717 [21] Appl. No. 8%,195 [22] Filed Feb. 18, 11W [45] Patented Ann. 3, W71

[54] FLEXIBLE GAME BOARD Wll'll'lll lIN'l'EGMALlLY PIVUTED END FLAP PWMECTURS 9 Claims, 3 Drawing high.

[52] U8. El Nit/$5 lC, 273/129 [51] Int. Ell Amt 9/00, A63f 7/10 [50] Field ot Search 273/85 A, 85 C, 85 D, 85 E, 94 A, 94 C, 94 D, 94 E, 30,129; 229/32 [56] References CM I UNITED STATES PATENTS 731,825 6/1903 Voorhees 273/872 UX 732,964 7/1903 Sauacool 229/32 Primary Examiner-Anton O. Oechsle Assistant Examiner -Paul 1E. Shapiro Alzomeylerome Bauer AIRS/TRACT: A ball or projectile-striking game having a centrally located flexible game board with flexible barrier elements upstanding along the opposite side edges, and projectile-striking flaps integrally connected at opposite ends of the game board which, in practice, are each manipulated by the players through a projectile-striking stroke to alternately strilte the ball and thereby cause movement of the ball, during a typical playing interval, back and forth across the playing surface of the game board until one of the players either misses the ball or causes it to leave the playing surface. Resilient bands are connected between the flaps and the game board, and urge the flaps towards an overlying relationship with the game board.

Patented Aug. 3, 1911 3,596,908

I NVENTORS J. ARTHUR LONG CHESTER F. MEYER $277.5 ATTORNEYS FLEXIBLE GAME BOARD WITH HNTEGRALLY PIVUTED END FLAlP PROJECTQMS The present invention relates generally to games or amusement devices, and more specifically to improvements for a ball or projectile-striking game.

There are a great number of games which during play require the-striking of a ball or projectile alternately by at least two players and which thereby results in alternate play movement of the ball between the players until one of the players either misses the ball or strikes it out of bounds. This general type of game has considerable play value since it tests the dexterity of the players to the extent, at least, to which they must properly manipulate the device employed for striking the ball and it also includes sufficient variation during a typical playing interval because of the unpredictability of the path taken by the ball to maintain the interest of the players in playing the game.

It is undoubtedly for these and other such reasons that such games have been in wide demand and are enjoying considerable popularity, and why different models and versions thereof are constantly being devised by those in the field. Despite this effort, however, there is still a need for a simplified version of a projectile-striking game which requires a degree of dexterity on the part of the players and that has the inherent ability of producing a sustained and comparatively long interval of play before one of the players misses the projectile or strikes it out of bounds. The only significant popularly accepted projectilestriking game having a contemplated mode of play as just described is ping-pong but, as is well understood, this game and those similar to it require a playing table of a significant area and extent. For these and other reasons, ping-pong and similar games do not fulfill all of the commercial requirements fora projectile-striking game.

Broadly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an improved projectile-striking game overcoming the foregoing and other shortcomings of the prior art. Specifically, it is an object to provide, in a projectile-striking game, a pair of facing projectile-striking flaps which are readily manipulated, even by children of young age, through projectile-striking strokes so that a comparatively long, sustained interval of play results during which the projectile or ball is moved back and forth between the players across the playing surface of the game board, all to the end of providing an activity of great play value and interest to the players.

A projectile-striking game demonstrating objects and advantages of the present invention includes a flexible, generally planar member defining a playing surface and having at opposite end edges thereof a pair of facing ball or projectilestn'king means which, during a typical playing interval, are readily manipulated by a player against the urgency of resilient means. Such projectile-striking means, aided by the resilient means, moves through a projectile-striking stroke into striking contact with the ball and it is thereby capable of propelling the ball, bouncing it with skill to the other end of the playing surface where the other player is then required to similarly strike the ball and return it back across the playing field. In this way, the ball is alternately moved back and forth across the playing surface, somewhat in the way that pingpong is played, but by use of striking flaps which are readily manipulated and used by the players.

The above brief description, as wellas further objects, features and advantages of the present invention, will be more fully appreciated by reference to the following detailed description of a presently preferred, but nonetheless illustrative embodiment in accordance with the present invention, when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of exemplary equipment for a projectile-striking game in accordance with the present invention,

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of the game board thereof in which one of the projectile-striking flaps thereof is shown in full line and phantom perspective to illustrate the projectilestriking stroke thereof, and

FIG. 3 is an end elevational view of the projectile-striking flap illustrating further structural details.

Reference is now made to the drawings wherein there is shown a projectile-striking game, generally designated it), demonstrating objects and advantages of the present invention. Game lit), in addition to having as a major part a game board 12, which will be described in greater detail subsequently herein, also includes as auxiliary equipment a common receptacle M for a plurality of projectiles 16 such as plastic balls or the like, which are alternately struck by the players back and forth across the game board 12, somewhat in the manner that ping-pong is played. Each of the two players additionally has his own receptacle Ni, 20 in which, after a successful playing interval, he places the ball that was just used and, in this manner, a score is kept of the play and a winner of the game is ultimately determined. The foregoing general description of a typical method of playing the game I0 is intended merely for illustrative purposes and not as a limitation on the scope of the invention or of any of the appended claims.

Specifically, an exemplary game board 112, contemplated for the game It], includes a generally planar member that has a body 22 fabricated of plastic, cardboard or other such materi al which is flexible for a reason which will soon be obvious, and which body is defined at an opposite pair of ends 24, 26 and side edges 28, 30. Pivotally connected along each of the ends 24, 26 for rotative movement about each in the direction A are a pair of facing projectile-striking flaps 32, 34. Since the construction of the flaps 32, 34 is identical, as is the manner in which each is hingedly connected to the body panel 22 along one of the end edges 2d, 26, the description of the construction, connection and mode of operating one of the flaps will suffice to convey an understanding of the present invention.

More particularly, as may best be understood from a comparison of FIGS. 1 and 2, in a typical cardboard embodiment of the game lit), the game board 12 may be generally planar with the projectile-striking means or flaps 32 and 34 defined on opposite ends thereof and contiguous with the intermediate body 22. The member may, therefore, be unitary in construction with the contiguous flaps 32 and 34 being pivotal with respect to the body along the folds that may be the ends 24 and 26 that define the lengthwise extent of the body.

The body 22 and projectile-striking means or flaps 32 and 34 also may be separate structures appropriately hingedly connected along the ends 2% and 2s and contiguous with the body 22. As a consequence, each flap 32 and 34, as is more specifically illustrated in FIG. 2, is movable into a starting position illustrated in phantom perspective or broken lines, from which, upon release or pushing or pulling manipulation by the player, it moves through the previously noted rotative movement A. This movement will be understood to be a projectile-striking stroke that may terminate in a terminal position, also illustrated in phantom perspective in FIG. 2, in which the flaps come to rest in an overlying position substantially coplanar with and adjacent to the upper playing surface of the panel 22.

This rotative movement A of the projectile-striking flaps 32 and M is aided by the resilient means 36 and 38 and should be readily appreciated as being effective, when the flap comes into striking contact with the plastic ball 16 and propelling the ball llh across the panel 22 towards the other projectile-striking flap 341. When the ball lti comes close enough to the striking flaps 32 or 3d, the player who is manipulating the respective flap is, of course, required to draw back on this flap and stroke the same, thereby resulting in the: stroked flap, under the complete or supplementing urgency of the resilient bands 36, 32 moving forward through a projectile-striking stroke A which causes it to come into striking contact with the ball llti and result in the ball being returned and vollied back to the other end of the panel 22. This alternate play movement of the ball 16 continues until one of the players either misses the ball 16 or causes it to leave the playing field 22. In practice, this ,fast play and skill in manipulation have been found to have considerable interest and value for all ages of children and young adults.

Returning to FIG. 2, it will be noted that in the embodiment as illustrated herein, the resilient means as shown as rubber bands 36 and 38 which are appropriately connected between the flaps 32, 34 and the adjacent portions of the board or body panel 22, they are connected so that the connection to the body is at the locations 40 which are several inches inwardly of the defining ends 24, 26. As a result, when each flap 32 and 34 is in turn moved into its ready or starting position during which the bands 36 and 38 are elongated or stretched, this stretching or tensing, in turn, results in an application of force at the locations 40 and produces an upward bowing, to the extent B, in the medial portion of the body panel 22, all as is clearly illustrated in FIG. 2. This bowing or flexing of the body panel 22 in an obvious manner minimizes the possibility of the ball 16 coming to rest at an intermediate point between the flaps 32 and 34 since the elevation B of the medial portion of the panel 22 will cause rolling of the ball toward either one or the other of the ends 24 or 26.

As illustrated herein, a preferred technique for confining the movement of the ball 16 to the play area of the panel 22 includes a series of spaced, upstanding resilient members 42 which serve as barriers along each of the side edges 28, 30. The spacing S between adjacent members 42 is selected to be less than the diameter of the ball 16 to thereby better serve as a confining barrier and, additionally, does not interfere with bowing of the panel 22.

Completing the construction of the game are handgrips 44 appropriately connected on the rear surface of each of the flaps 32, 34 which render it more convenient for the players to manipulate each flap. Thus, each flap may be pulled, pushed or released aided by the opposition of the resilient elements 36 and 38 urging the body into a bowed condition or releasing their force as the flap moves through a projectile-striking stroke. Although not shown, use may be made along the underside of the panel 22, and specifically along the edges 24, 26 which are in contact with the support surface for the game 10, of a friction surface or other means to hold the panel 22 against movement or, alternatively, the panel may be held against movement by the hands of the respective players that are not being used to manipulate the flaps 32 or 34.

Game 10 is typically played by the initiating player tilting his flap at a 45 angle towards himself and rolling one ball 16 down his flap across the playing field 22 toward the opposing players flap. Then each player in turn, returns the ball stroking it across the playing field. This return is accomplished by pushing, pulling or releasing the flaps 32 and 34 thereby propelling the ball 16 back across the playing field 22 towards the opposing player. This creates a volley in which the ball travels back and forth across the playing field 22 until a player either fouls or scores. Each time a player scores, he places that ball with which he scored into the can 16 or 18 of his opponent. The player who first places a predefined number of balls in the can of his opponent wins the game. After each score, a new ball is introduced into the game from the common pot or can 14 which holds all balls at the beginning of play.

The inclination of the playing surface of the body 22 is directly proportional to the playing angular inclination of the striking structures or flaps 32 and/or 34 connected to it by the resilient means 36 and 38. Thus, as the striking members 32 and 34 are manipulated in opposition to the resistance of the resilient means 36 and 38, there is produced a variation in the bowed angle of the playing surface 22.

Those skilled in the art will readily recognize that as the flap strikes the ball, the angle of ball return will be responsive to angle of movement of the striking flap. Thus, the greater the angle of the flap at the movement of striking the ball, the

greater the angle of ball return. As the ball strikes the playing surface, the higher the angle of inclination of the playing surface, the higher will be the bounce of the ball. Therefore, various competitive ingredients become involved in the method of play and strategically players manipulate their striking flaps and, consequently, the bowing surface to effect a particular result and movement upon the ball.

Naturally, the higher the angle of ball return the more vigorous is the play, often producing glancing jumps, high bounces, low volleys and fouls which result from a fast movement of the ball glancing across or propelling through and forcing apart the barrier members 42, widening their spaces, inasmuch as such members are resiliently mounted on the playing surface 22 to yield in response to an angular movement of the ball between them. Obviously, the connections of the barrier members 42 with the playing surface result in a greater resiliency and movement at their upper free ends than at their lower connected ends. Hence, fouls are more readily produced when the ball strikes between the barrier members at their upper ends than at their lower ends wherein the same are joined with the playing surface 22.

A latitude of modification, change and substitution is intended in the foregoing disclosure and in some instances some of the features of the invention will be employed without a corresponding use of other features.

What I claim is:

l. A projectile-striking game comprising a generally planar body defining a playing surface bounded by an opposing pair of end edges and side edges,

a pair of facing projectile-striking flaps respectively pivotally connected along and with each of said end edges of said body so as to be movable from a starting clearance position from said playing surface through a projectilestriking stroke into a terminal position adjacent said playing surface,

and resilient means operatively arranged between said body and said flaps to urge each said projectile-striking flap through said projectile-striking stroke, whereby a projectile is adapted to be alternately struck by the players resulting in play movement thereof back and forth across said playing surface.

2. A projectile-striking game as defined in claim 1 wherein said planar body is constructed of flexible material and said resilient means are connected between each said projectilestriking flap and said planar body so as to cause flexing of said planar body when any one of said projectile-striking flaps is in its starting clearance position.

3. A projectile-striking game as defined in claim 2 including an upstanding barrier along each of the side edges to facilitate confining play movement of said projectile to said playing surface.

4. A projectile-striking game as defined in claim 3 including handgrips on the rear of each of said projectile-striking flap.

5. A projectile-striking game comprising a generally planar body,

a projectile-striking means pivotable at opposite ends of said body,

resilient means connected between said projectile-striking means and said body to urge said projectile-striking means into one striking position,

and said projectile-striking means being manually pivotable into at least another striking position in opposition to the urging of said resilient means,

said planar body being flexible so as to move along the extent thereof in response to forces exerted thereon by said resilient means in response to the manual pivoting of said projectile-striking means.

6. A projectile-striking game as defined in claim 5 including a plurality of flexible barrier elements positioned on said body in spaced relationship along opposite edges thereof, the relative spacing of said barrier elements being less than the size of the projectile to be stricken.

7. In a game employing a projectile,

said body to urge said projectile-striking means into its position overlying said body.

%. A game as defined in claim 7 including a border along opposite edges of said body.

9. A game as defined in claim 8 wherein said border comprises a plurality of flexible upstanding elements in spaced relationship along said opposite edges. 

1. A projectile-striking game comprising a generally planar body defining a playing surface bounded by an opposing pair of end edges and side edges, a pair of facing projectile-striking flaps respectively pivotally connected along and with each of said end edges of said body so as to be movable from a starting clearance position from said playing surface through a projectilestriking stroke into a terminal position adjacent said playing surface, and resilient means operatively arranged between said body and sAid flaps to urge each said projectile-striking flap through said projectile-striking stroke, whereby a projectile is adapted to be alternately struck by the players resulting in play movement thereof back and forth across said playing surface.
 2. A projectile-striking game as defined in claim 1 wherein said planar body is constructed of flexible material and said resilient means are connected between each said projectile-striking flap and said planar body so as to cause flexing of said planar body when any one of said projectile-striking flaps is in its starting clearance position.
 3. A projectile-striking game as defined in claim 2 including an upstanding barrier along each of the side edges to facilitate confining play movement of said projectile to said playing surface.
 4. A projectile-striking game as defined in claim 3 including handgrips on the rear of each of said projectile-striking flap.
 5. A projectile-striking game comprising a generally planar body, a projectile-striking means pivotable at opposite ends of said body, resilient means connected between said projectile-striking means and said body to urge said projectile-striking means into one striking position, and said projectile-striking means being manually pivotable into at least another striking position in opposition to the urging of said resilient means, said planar body being flexible so as to move along the extent thereof in response to forces exerted thereon by said resilient means in response to the manual pivoting of said projectile-striking means.
 6. A projectile-striking game as defined in claim 5 including a plurality of flexible barrier elements positioned on said body in spaced relationship along opposite edges thereof, the relative spacing of said barrier elements being less than the size of the projectile to be stricken.
 7. In a game employing a projectile, a generally planar member defining projectile-striking means on opposite ends of and contiguous with a body intermediate the same, said member being unitary and said body being flexible to bend intermediate said striking means, and said striking means being pivotal relative to said body to move from a position substantially coplanar with said body to a position overlying said body, and means connecting said projectile-striking means with said body to urge said projectile-striking means into its position overlying said body.
 8. A game as defined in claim 7 including a border along opposite edges of said body.
 9. A game as defined in claim 8 wherein said border comprises a plurality of flexible upstanding elements in spaced relationship along said opposite edges. 